Lenny Flank
Mr. Flank is an American by birth and residence, and an campaigning Internet atheist and Buddhist (These are not incompatible as many think - the Buddha was actually an atheist). Mr. Flank was a key figure in helping the BCSE to launch in the second half of 2006.
Atheism and Anti-Christian Campaigning
- In his own words: "I am a Buddhist/Taoist. No gods needed or necessary."
- Boasts that he uses the following (with the full expletive) as a standard e-mail response: "I don't give a flying **** about your religious opinions. They are no better than anyone else's." See here.
- Flank was a key figure in persuading BCSE founder Roger Stanyard that Christians who doubt the truth of Darwinism are in fact campaigning to overturn democracy and replace it with theocracy. The advice which he offered the BCSE, and which was accepted, was this: "So don't bother with the "science debate". Turn it into a POLITICAL debate. That, after all, is what it is." and "It is a political fight. The fundies want a theocracy, and are trying very hard to get it. So this is a fight between "everyone who wants a fundamentalist theocracy" and "everyone who doesn't." See here
- The above point is enough to indicate to most knowledgeable readers that Mr. Flank most likely belongs in the lunatic asylum of Internet atheism - which most sensible people will not bother paying attention to. That impression is correct: a quick Google will show you Mr. Flank's past and present form in the arena, and he appears to be reasonably well known as a "crank" by those on the Internet amongst American Darwin-doubters.
Footnote: Fake Credentials
There is a whole section on the BCSE's practice of using misleading spin to make their (lack of) credentials seem impressive and their words authoritative, here. The BCSE website introduces Flank using these words, intended to imply authority: "Lenny Flank is an American ordained Buddhist Minister".
I discovered the reality in Flank's own words in a Yahoo discussion group: "my 'ordination' cost me six bucks on the Internet. ;):
This of course, does not mean that Flank is dishonest - it was Roger Stanyard who penned the above line seeking to boost Flank's credibility; I have no knowledge of whether Flank misled him or whether Stanyard knew the truth.